Context: The union government has increased the allocation sustainable and inclusive development of the natural rubber sector scheme for the next two financial years (2024-26) by 23 per cent from Rs 576.41 crore to Rs 708.69 crore.
About natural rubber:
- It is a polymer of isoprene, an organic compound and obtained from the latex of several tropical trees.
- Para Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is the most important tropical tree, native to the Amazon River basin, and the first commercial Hevea plantations were established at Thattekadu in Kerala in 1902.
Agro-climatic conditions:
- Soil: Well-drained and well-weathered, such as lateritic, alluvial, and sedimentary types.
- Rainfall: At least 100 rainy days a year.
- Temperature: Range of about 20 to 34°C.
- Humidity: Around 80%, with 2000 hours of sunshine
- Wind: Absence of strong winds.
- Natural rubber is preferred over synthetic rubber due to its high tensile strength, vibration dampening properties, and tear resistance.
- India is the third largest producer, fourth largest consumer of natural rubber and fifth largest consumer of natural rubber and synthetic rubber together in the world.
- Major rubber producing states include: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Assam.
About Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector:
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- Implementing agency: Rubber Board
- Objective: To enhance natural rubber production and productivity.
- Features of the scheme: To increase the production and productivity through expanding planted area, accelerating rubber plantation development programmes in non-traditional regions including the North-East, intensifying research to evolve appropriate technologies for rubber cultivation, processing and end product manufacturing and transferring technology through training and extension services.
- Under the scheme, Rubber Board provides subsidy for new planting and replanting (of senile plantations) to growers.
- Major components of the scheme are: (1) Rubber Plantation Development & Extension; (2) Rubber Research Support for processing & marketing; (3) infrastructure development and specialised services and (4) Human Resources' Development.
- The Board also provides quality planting material, promotes Rubber producers Societies (RPS), sets up Group Processing Centres, provides training for tapping of rubber trees and processing of field latex, provides assistance for rain guarding to increase number of tapping days and provides assistance for prevention of diseases in rubber plantations.